Gene Bartow Obituary

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Gene Bartow, who succeeded John Wooden at UCLA and later began UAB's athletic program, has died, UAB officials said. He was 81.

Bartow, who was the president of the company that owns the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies and FedEx Forum, died Tuesday evening at his home in Birmingham, Ala., after a battle with stomach cancer, said university spokesman Norm Reilly.

"Coach Bartow is a beloved figure in college basketball and in the lives of many players and fans," said UAB athletic director Brian Mackin in a statement. "He was a great man and dedicated leader who set a standard of excellence for UAB athletics."

The school had been preparing for Saturday's Bartow Classic, a basketball game between UAB and Memphis that raises money for the Coach Gene Bartow Fund for Cancer Research. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in April 2009.

Bartow was one of the winningest NCAA Division I basketball coaches with 647 wins over 34 sea sons. He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and UAB renamed its basketball arena in his honor in 1997.

He succeeded John Wooden as UCLA's coach in 1976 and led the Bruins to the Final Four but left after two seasons to start Alabama-Birmingham's program, expanding it under his tenure as athletic director to feature 17 sports.

"The UCLA family has suffered a great loss today with the passing of former Bruin men's basketball coach Gene Bartow," said UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero in a statement. "Gene had the unenviable task when he arrived at UCLA of following the greatest coach in college basketball history, John Wooden, and he did so admirably."

As UAB's basketball coach from 1978-96, Bartow led the Blazers to seven straight NCAA tournament appearances. He retired as athletic director in 2000.

"To begin an athletic program from the ground up, UAB had to find a motivating force without parallel," said UAB Pre sident Carol Garrison in a statement. "Gene Bartow certainly was that person. He was a pioneer and passionate believer and leader in UAB athletics."

Bartow coached Memphis State from 1970-74 and guided the school to the 1973 national championship game, where the Tigers lost to a UCLA team coached by Wooden. That year, Bartow was named national coach of the year, according to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame web site.

"Through his years as a coach, an athletic administrator and an NBA executive, Coach Bartow built an incredible network of friends and today we all feel a tremendous loss," said Alabama state Rep. Jack Williams in a statement.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Gene Bartow, who succeeded John Wooden at UCLA and later began UAB's athletic program, has died, UAB officials said. He was 81.

Bartow, who was the president of the company that owns the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies and FedEx Forum, died Tuesday evening at his home in Birmingham, Ala., after a battle with stomach cancer, said university spokesman Norm Reilly.

"Coach Bartow is a beloved figure in college basketball and in the lives of many players and fans," said UAB athletic director Brian Mackin in a statement. "He was a great man and dedicated leader who set a standard of excellence for UAB athletics."

The school had been preparing for Saturday's Bartow Classic, a basketball game between UAB and Memphis that raises money for the Coach Gene Bartow Fund for Cancer Research. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in April 2009.

Bartow was one of the winningest NCAA Division I basketball coaches with 647 wins over 34 sea sons. He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and UAB renamed its basketball arena in his honor in 1997.

He succeeded John Wooden as UCLA's coach in 1976 and led the Bruins to the Final Four but left after two seasons to start Alabama-Birmingham's program, expanding it under his tenure as athletic director to feature 17 sports.

"The UCLA family has suffered a great loss today with the passing of former Bruin men's basketball coach Gene Bartow," said UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero in a statement. "Gene had the unenviable task when he arrived at UCLA of following the greatest coach in college basketball history, John Wooden, and he did so admirably."

As UAB's basketball coach from 1978-96, Bartow led the Blazers to seven straight NCAA tournament appearances. He retired as athletic director in 2000.

"To begin an athletic program from the ground up, UAB had to find a motivating force without parallel," said UAB Pre sident Carol Garrison in a statement. "Gene Bartow certainly was that person. He was a pioneer and passionate believer and leader in UAB athletics."

Bartow coached Memphis State from 1970-74 and guided the school to the 1973 national championship game, where the Tigers lost to a UCLA team coached by Wooden. That year, Bartow was named national coach of the year, according to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame web site.

"Through his years as a coach, an athletic administrator and an NBA executive, Coach Bartow built an incredible network of friends and today we all feel a tremendous loss," said Alabama state Rep. Jack Williams in a statement.

Guest Book Highlights

"To Coach Bartow's Family, Please accept my condolences for the loss of your husband, father, and grandfather. I was a member of the 1973 Women's Basketball Team that toured China with Coach Bartow's Mens Team, and I just read about his passing. I..."- Barbara Hill (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ)

"May God bless this remaining family. I remember Ruth and her sons from the time she was teaching at TJ in Valparaiso. She and Gene participated in our staff parties and Murry was in my second grade class. What a great family. We followed news of..."- Myrna McMurtry (Valparaiso, IN)

"I was just a blip on Gene's radar when he was assistant coach to Art Gallon at UC Santa Barbara in '59 and '6o. He and his family lived in a tract home in El Encanto Heights in what is now Goleta. I was what is now called Sports Information..."- Bob Magruder (Carpinteria, CA)

"Dearest Ruth, I still have your Tylenol in my pocket book you gave me the day Gene had the "Gamma Knife" done so early in the morning. I don' t know if you remember me (Connie) and my husband Larry, but our deepest sympathy goes out to you and your..."- Larry and Connie Snyder (Enterprise, AL)

"I was sorry to hear of Coach Bartow's passing. The last time I saw and spoke with him was at the Full Moon Restaurant for lunch last year when he came in with his wife. As a 1980 Graduate of UAB, I remember fondly his coaching of the team in their..."- william floyd (Birmingham, AL)

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Published in The Birmingham News from January 6 to January 8, 2012

BARTOW, GENE age 81, passed away on Tuesday, January 3, at his home in Birmingham, Alabama. He was born on Aug. 18, 1930 in Browning, Mo., the youngest of four children born to Almeda and Tommy...
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Published online on January 4, 2012 courtesy of Dignity Memorial.

Gene Bartow, age 81, passed away on Tuesday, January 3, at his home in Birmingham, Alabama. He was born on Aug. 18, 1930 in Browning, Mo., the youngest of four children born to Almeda and Tommy...
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